It Seems the Demon King Has Returned to a World Where Gender Roles Are Reversed - Chapter 22

Chapter 22 :

Time had passed, and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness, as if a curtain had been drawn.  

In that darkness, Ragna was crossing through the forest toward the lumberyard workers’ lodging.  

“Haa… Maybe I should’ve at least checked how much time had passed before leaving?”  

At the lumberyard workers’ lodging, a roll call was conducted at 9 p.m. to account for everyone.  

Since Ragna had slipped away in the middle, it was highly likely that a commotion had arisen.  

Wanting to avoid trouble, Ragna quickened his pace along the forest path illuminated by moonlight.  

The path he was walking was none other than the same one Seria had taken to meet him earlier.  

Why had he chosen to traverse the forest instead of passing through the central plaza?  

The reason was simple: he didn’t want to draw attention.  

At the lumberyard, the officers and soldiers treated the workers as little more than expendable resources.  

As such, standing out and attracting attention was something he wanted to avoid.  

However, disappearing for too long would cause a major disturbance.  

Thus, he had no choice but to return to the lodging.  

For that reason, Ragna was using the forest path, where he was less likely to be noticed.  

“Hm… Even so, what should I do now…?”  

While hurrying his steps, Ragna was also thinking about his future prospects.  

For now, there wasn’t much chance of a major problem arising.  

Revealing that he could control a golem was a slight annoyance, but it was within expectations.  

In fact, it provided a convenient excuse to explain the existence of his black magic to others, making it a net neutral outcome.  

Moreover, the status he had gained as a result being a male knight capable of controlling a golem elevated him from a mere expendable worker at the lumberyard to a valuable asset.  

This would be a significant advantage as he navigated life among humans going forward.  

But it wasn’t all good news.  

“…The question is how to act from now on…”  

While gaining the status of a knight who could control a golem was beneficial, it also came with new obligations.  

A man who could control a golem was a rare and valuable resource.  

As such, he would face increased scrutiny and control.  

In such a situation, achieving his goals reclaiming the power he once had, rallying the demons, or gathering the scattered descendants of the demons to create a place for them to live would become impossible.  

Even setting aside his revenge against humans or retribution against the descendants of the hero who killed Margarita, he couldn’t abandon his responsibility toward the demon descendants.  

Thus, Ragna needed freedom, no matter what.  

“But in this situation, there’s no way… I can’t just run away recklessly, either.”  

Even if he wanted to flee, there was a significant obstacle nearby: Seria.  

Currently, Seria was showing signs of intense attachment to him.  

This was likely the result of a combination of magical corruption, the anti-magic resistance flowing through her body, and the affection she already held for him.  

The problem was that this affection manifested as a considerable level of obsession.  

What would happen if he suddenly disappeared in this state?  

Just imagining it made him feel like groaning.  

And the issue didn’t end there.  

If it were just a matter of her having a breakdown, it wouldn’t be a problem.  

But the real issue was what would happen afterward.  

“…A sudden outburst from a promising knight. Someone would investigate the cause, and they might discover the magic affecting her.”  

If that happened, the existence of a black-haired, red-eyed boy from the Black Forest would be revealed in an instant.  

It wouldn’t be hard for the kingdom’s humans to connect that to the name “Demon King.”  

That would be highly problematic.  

“…I still don’t have enough power…”  

The amount of magic flowing through his body had increased significantly since his revival in this world, but it was still pitifully inadequate.  

Until he had enough power to fend off human pursuers, he couldn’t afford to reveal his identity.  

Thus, Ragna had to avoid doing anything conspicuous.  

And in this situation, there was only one optimal choice.  

“…Is that really the only way?”  

Muttering self-deprecatingly, Ragna let out a sigh.  

The limited status he had and the best way to gather the information he needed left him with no other option.  

The thought of belonging to an organization again brought back unpleasant memories from his childhood, but there was no avoiding it in this situation.  

With that thought, Ragna sighed again, grumbling to himself.  

And then—  

A dagger flew toward his chest, and Ragna’s body staggered and fell as if struck.  

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Under the quiet moonlight, an eerie silence lingered.  

Beneath the moonlight filtering through the leaves, Ragna’s body lay motionless.  

How much time had passed?  

*Rustle.*  

The bushes in the forest stirred with a sound, and someone emerged from them.  

The assailant was clad in light armor, likely a woman based on their build.  

Their face and hair were concealed by a black mask.  

A pair of cold, blue eyes glinted through the narrow slits.  

The assailant approached Ragna’s body from a distance to confirm his death, then drew a longsword from their waist with a *shing*.  

It was to deliver the final blow.  

The body also needed to be sufficiently mutilated.  

To prevent identification, the head would need to be severed and hidden.  

The torso would also need to be damaged to some extent.  

If left like that, the scent of blood would attract nearby beasts, which would naturally take care of the rest.  

With that thought, the assailant approached Ragna’s body and raised their sword.  

But then,  

“…?!”  

The assailant realized something was wrong.  

The dagger they had thrown had undoubtedly struck Ragna’s body.  

Indeed, though partially obscured by his hand, the handle of the dagger was visible in his chest.  

But something was off.  

If the dagger had pierced his body, there should have been something obvious missing.  

Blood.  

There wasn’t a single drop of blood around the spot where the dagger was embedded.  

Realizing this and hesitating, a *whoosh* sounded as something cut through the air.  

The assailant twisted their body to dodge a dagger flying toward them.  

A *tch* sound came from the direction of the attack.  

“Tch, you noticed, huh?”  

“…!”  

The voice was brazenly confident.  

The assailant looked toward the source of the voice with disbelief, where Ragna was standing, having risen from the ground, looking at them with a regretful expression.  

How?  

The assailant couldn’t comprehend the situation unfolding before them.  

The dagger aimed at Ragna had been thrown with slightly reduced force for accuracy, but it was imbued with the “strength of a knight.”  

To put it in perspective, it had the force of a charging bull.  

Even if it had grazed him by chance, it should have caused some injury.  

“…Hm.”  

“……”  

“It doesn’t seem like you’re going to let me go easily.”  

Facing the assailant’s clear hostility, Ragna scratched his head awkwardly and sighed.  

…There was an opening.  

The moment Ragna sighed, the assailant suddenly drew another dagger from their cloak and threw it at his neck.  

“Ugh!”  

Reacting to the sudden attack, Ragna dodged backward with a grunt.  

The assailant clicked their tongue lightly.  

Though his movements were slightly off, he had dodged effortlessly, suggesting he was prepared.  

“That was dangerous… But a sneak attack? Isn’t that a bit cowardly for a knight, Karen Steiner?”  

“…!”  

He’d figured it out.  

How?  

The assailant visibly faltered, glaring at Ragna.  

But Ragna only smirked, saying nothing.  

“……”  

If they’d been found out, there was no need to keep wearing the cumbersome mask.  

With that thought, the assailant Karen removed the mask covering her face and tossed it aside.  

“Hm, so it really was you?”  

“…How did you know?”  

At Ragna’s murmur, Karen asked in a stiff tone.  

Ragna continued to smirk as he replied,  

“No particular reason. I just figured if anyone would target me in this situation, it’d be you.”  

“……”  

“So, care to explain? Like, why you’re coming after my neck?”  

“……”  

Karen didn’t respond.  

Words were useless.  

There was nothing to say to the dead.  

With that thought, she tightened her grip on her sword.  

One strike would end it.  

Gathering her energy, she prepared.  

“…No talking, huh? Then I guess there’s no helping it.”  

Saying this, Ragna sighed lightly and assumed a stance.  

“Then my choice is simple. I can’t keep dealing with someone who won’t talk…”  

“……”  

“So I’ll just have to escape!”  

“…?!”  

At his shout, Karen, startled, rushed toward Ragna.  

*Whoosh*—a sharp strike cut through the air.  

But it hit nothing.  

Before it landed, Ragna had, as declared, kicked off the ground and disappeared into the trees.  

*Rustle*, his body vanished into the dark bushes.  

“You think I’ll let you escape?!”  

Shouting fiercely, Karen chased after him.  

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Translated by Reversalnovel.web.id